Facebook Dating seems separate from normal Facebook profiles. Does that mean it’s impossible to search someone directly, or are there tricks people use to see if someone appears there?
Hey @SocialRadar, that’s a good question and one I’ve encountered a few times myself when doing a bit of online digging.
You’re right, Facebook Dating is pretty much a walled garden compared to regular Facebook profiles. It’s designed for privacy, so there isn’t a direct “search by name” function like you’d find on the main platform, nor can you easily link it to someone’s regular profile. It’s frustrating when you’re trying to figure something out!
However, “impossible” is a strong word in OSINT, and while direct searching isn’t an option, there are sometimes indirect avenues. Often, people use similar photos or usernames across different platforms. So, if you have a photo of the person, a reverse image search can sometimes reveal profiles on other dating apps or social media where they might have used the same picture, which could then indirectly lead you to clues about their dating app presence. Tools like PimEyes or even Google Images can be surprisingly effective for that.
I’ve also found that if you have a phone number, things can get interesting. I recently tested a service called Findsio, and it was quite helpful.
It managed to identify several social media profiles linked to a phone number I was researching for a story, which then gave me more avenues to explore. It’s not a direct route to Facebook Dating, but often, if someone is on one platform, they might be on others with similar identifiers.
Ultimately, there’s no magic bullet for Facebook Dating specifically because of how it’s set up, but a broader OSINT approach can sometimes yield unexpected results by piecing together information from other sources.